1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color value acquiring method, an image processing method, a color value acquiring apparatus, an image processing apparatus, and a recording medium having a program recorded therein for printing a color chart that includes a plurality of color patches, and for acquiring color values corresponding to the color patches, which are selected from within the color chart.
2. Description of the Related Art
With significant advances in inkjet technology in recent years, it is becoming possible for inkjet printers to produce large color prints of high quality at high speeds. Inkjet printers are not only popular for private or home use, but also are widely used for public use or in commercial applications nowadays. Inkjet printers make it possible to print on POP (Point Of Purchase) posters, wall posters, large-size mediums such as outdoor advertisements and billboards, roll mediums, and thick hard mediums.
Since advertisement prints are expected to be effective to arouse consumers' motivation to buy advertised products through visual sensation, the finish of colors in such prints is of particular importance. Heretofore, there have been disclosed various color matching technologies, such as a method of generating an ICC (International Color Consortium) profile, a method of adjusting a spot color (hereinafter referred to as a “designated color”), etc., as print color managing means.
A method of adjusting a designated color includes making fine adjustments of the color of an area of interest in a color image in order to bring the color into substantial conformity with a designated color to be reproduced on a print, using color samples such as color chips, etc. More specifically, actual color values of a color sample and color values for reproducing the designated color with a printing machine are acquired, and a print color is corrected based on the difference between the acquired color values.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-217007 discloses a method of setting a display device to display a designated color on a screen image (display window), visually observing a printed color chart, selecting a color closest to the designated color from color patches provided in twenty-seven colors, and entering a number of the selected color through the screen image. The patent publication states that it is possible to cause the designated color displayed on the display device and a color printed by a printing machine to strictly approximate to each other.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-134349, a color chart is disclosed, in which a background region (hereinafter referred to as a “surrounding region”) thereof surrounding each of a plurality of color patches respectively is colored in a predetermined color. In particular, due to the different color of the surrounding region, it is suggested that cases occur in which the color selection result may be slightly different, since the visual effect perceived by the operator is different.